Modern American Communes: A Dictionary

(Hardback)

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Description

Communes and utopian communities are groups of men and women who share a central or common belief and choose to live together away from mainstream society. Many of the individuals in these communes are characterized by or aspire to perfection. This reference source contains biographies and historical overviews of 20th-century communes and utopias in the United States and those individuals involved with them. Sutton provides a comprehensive history of both religious and secular utopian communities. Entries include Amity Colony, Farm Eco-Village, Holy City, David Koresh, Shaker Communities, The Farm, and Donald Walters, among many others. Each entry includes a list of print and electronic sources for further reading. An appendix listing 20th-century American communal and utopian societies is also provided. Ideal for students and researchers interested in anthropology, labor history, politics, cults, sects, workers movements and welfare communities.

Reviews

Sutton covers religious and secular communities, including Amity Colony, Farm Eco-Village, Holy City, the Branch Davidians, Shaker Communities, and The Farm. Each entry includes a list of print and electronic sources for further reading. * Reference & Research Book News *
[A] useful work for high-school students and older.[h]andy to have the information on communes in one place. * Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin *
[C]ollege-level recommended, and also a pick high school libraries can use: an excellent historical background and introduction.[s]urveys utopian communities around the country, providing historical overviews of 20th century US communes covering their beliefs, key founders, and history. An A-Z reference makes it easy to look up individuals or communes alike. Recommended for social science reference holdings. * MBR Bookwatch *

Author Bio

Robert P. Sutton was a Professor of History at Western Illinois University until his retirement in January 2005. His fields of expertise include communal utopias and American legal history on which he has published 13 books and numerous articles.